NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. –
Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Europe is poised to go live with Warehouse Management System July 21, marking a significant modernization effort following months of intensive preparation at the distribution center located in Germersheim, Germany.
WMS implementation is a key element of the DLA Distribution modernization program, which replaces the Distribution Standard System with a modern, off-the-shelf system that aligns DLA Distribution with industry best practices, facilitates cloud computing and seamlessly integrates with DLA’s Enterprise Business System.
The WMS implementation at DLA Distribution Europe culminates a four-month preparation period, during which personnel from DLA Distribution Europe collaborated with staff from the DLA Distribution Network Process Management Directorate and the DLA Distribution Network Integration Directorate to complete a three-phase pre-implementation plan of action and milestones. This comprehensive phase included identifying critical requirements specific to the site and region, hosting a readiness drill for regional customers and sending key leaders to DLA Distribution San Joaquin, California, for a go-live observation.
Throughout the process, the DLA Distribution Europe team has consistently communicated key dates and activities, enabling customers to plan for the transition and continue supporting their local operations.
"Our WMS implementation planning at DLA Distribution Europe was greatly enhanced by collaborative efforts from various organizations and personnel across the agency,” said Army Lt. Col. Michael Zdrojesky, commander, DLA Distribution Europe. “This agency-wide support ensured all WMS requirements were synchronized, setting the stage for a successful system implementation."
Training was a crucial component of the preparation. Trainers from the DLA Human Resources Directorate traveled to DLA Distribution Europe and conducted two weeks of classroom instruction, covering three shifts to ensure continuous operations while staff received critical training.
Following classroom instruction, DLA Distribution Europe WMS "super users" traveled to DLA Distribution Sigonella, Italy, for hands-on experience with the new system.
"Getting our users more touches prior to a go-live enables efficient production with the new system," Zdrojesky said. "Our team gained valuable experience with the hands-on processing and interface of WMS, while gathering other lessons learned about go-live implementations."
In the final week before the launch, personnel from DLA Information Operations Directorate and DLA Distribution Network Process Management Directorate joined the team in Germersheim to oversee the final preparations. DLA Distribution Network Process Management Directorate employees led the DLA Distribution Europe team through the "brown-out" and "black-out" processes, designed to ensure a seamless transition and cutover to the new system.
DLA Distribution Europe production division personnel spent the last several weeks monitoring and positioning labor to decrease work-in-progress and remain current with the distribution center workload, which contributed to a smoother brown-out process. These preparatory steps allowed the site to focus on immediate requirements to support warfighters and troubleshoot any upcoming system configurations.
“The successful completion of these preparatory phases positions DLA Distribution Europe for a smooth transition to the new Warehouse Management System, aiming to enhance efficiency and continue vital support to military operations,” Zdrojesky said.